The Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute is mourning the death of an undergraduate student who was studying recorder at the school.
Christine Chen, a native of Taiwan, was found dead Sunday in her dorm room on the conservatory's campus in Baltimore's Mount Vernon neighborhood, Dean Fred Bronstein wrote in a message to the Peabody community on Sunday afternoon. She was 22.
Bronstein said he had been in contact with Chen's family members in Taiwan and with an aunt and uncle who live in the United States.
"This loss comes as a great shock to the entire Peabody community, and our deepest sympathies are extended to Christine's family, her friends, and her colleagues in the Early Music department," he wrote. "Christine had many friends at Peabody and around the world. Devoted to music and to her studies here, she recently performed a solo recital in her hometown of Kao-Hsiung, Taiwan. She is remembered for her kindness, her enthusiasm, and her ready smile."
Peabody officials are working with the police as a matter of standard practice, and with the Medical Examiner's office and JHU health experts to determine the cause of death and ensure the safety of students.
"I am deeply saddened to have lost one of our Peabody family, too soon," Bronstein added. "I know that this loss will be a difficult one for us all to bear, and I know that we as a community will be helpful and supportive of each other in the days and weeks ahead."
Posted in University News
